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Corrie Fee, Mayar and Driesh

Corrie Fee, Mayar and Driesh


Postby andreww18 » Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:31 pm

Route description: Mayar and Driesh, Glen Clova

Munros included on this walk: Driesh, Mayar

Date walked: 09/09/2017

Time taken: 6 hours

Distance: 14.5 km

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Opting for the east rather than the wetter west, we opted for the twin peaks of Mayar and Driesh - keen to get a double summit claim under our belts and ever keener to see Corrie Fee, the immense glacial amphitheatre which leads to Mayar.
Arriving at the Glen Doll car park just before 7am on a Sunday morning there were only a couple of other cars there. For being so relatively close to Kirriemuir, the A90 and Dundee, the place has a remarkable feeling of wildness about it. Sure there are Forestry Commission guide posts and info boards but a quick walk from the car park and you're heading through the pine forest and entering the absolutely breath-taking Corrie Fee.
Ahead is the waterfall tumbling down off the corrie wall; to the right is the rockier Craig Rennet and to the left is the bulk of Driesh although the summit is hidden at this point (as is Mayar's).
It's an arresting sight though and we spend a good 15 mins gawping - but it's also windy and we begin to cool down quickly so we layer up and head up on the great path towards the waterfall.
The path soon begins to climb and winds its way up the left hand side of the waterfall. The view behind down into the Corrie is remarkable. The path takes a veer right up even steeper just at the base of the waterfall. Eventually the steepness relents a bit and tops out before leading you out onto the grassy approach to Mayar's summit.
A couple coming down said they'd camped out overnight but it was basically a cloudy whiteout at the top with nothing to see, so they were bailing and not doing Driesh.
We plodded on and soon made the summit at 9.30am - yes the cloud had come down and the wind was howling, but it was still exhilirating. It was bitingly cold and the winds were bordering on fierce so we dropped down on the path between Mayar and Driesh. It's a relatively straightforward walk towards the base of Driesh, with the cloud zipping by and lifting. Soon we can see the path up over Driesh's shoulder. We stop and meet a chap from Arbroath and his spaniel and we stop to chat for a bit. He's got 35 left to do - he's 65 next year and is aiming to do another 15 in 2017 leaving 20 for 2018 and Ben More on Mull already selected as his final munro. A lovely man and i hope you compleat.
The path leads very easily up to Driesh's sunny summit cairn and we're there by 11am, stopping for some food.
Had we descended by the Kilbo Path we would have been back at the car without too much drama. However, believing there was a path off the north-facing shoulder of Driesh we had to carefully pick our way down a fairly steep, grassy, boggy, heathery slope which left us scratching our heads as to where the path actually was. We saw a family coming up from below and they seemed to be heading up. Eventually we pass and there is a faint track they've taken up, which we manage to get to before hitting the tree line and emerging just at the same point of the Kilbo Path. We laughed about it afterwards and looking back up we couldn't quite believe we'd come down that way but i'd definately recommend retracing your steps off Driesh and dropping down the sensible way.
Really glad to have these two bagged and a great day of hiking.
Attachments
100_4710.JPG
The magnificent Corrie Fee.
100_4711.JPG
looking east towards Driesh from the entrance of Corrie Fee
100_4712.JPG
Craig Rennet
100_4715.JPG
Corrie Fee waterfall
100_4718.JPG
Looking back down into Corrie Fee - amazing place.
100_4719.JPG
taking a breather at the top of the Corrie Fee path climb and just before heading out onto the hillside approaching the summit.
100_4722.JPG
The Corrie Fee seen from the descent off Driesh, Kilbo Path running down the opposite hillside.
andreww18
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Re: Corrie Fee, Mayar and Driesh

Postby Cairngorm creeper » Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:48 am

I enjoyed your pictures of Corrie Fee, I keep reading about it and thinking we must visit these hills soon. Thank you for posting.
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Re: Corrie Fee, Mayar and Driesh

Postby dogplodder » Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:06 pm

I still remember the feeling I had the first time I saw Corrie Fee and how unexpected it was to find a place like that so near to Dundee! 8)
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Re: Corrie Fee, Mayar and Driesh

Postby andreww18 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 10:59 pm

Cairngorm creeper wrote:I enjoyed your pictures of Corrie Fee, I keep reading about it and thinking we must visit these hills soon. Thank you for posting.


It's a place i hadn't ever heard about until relatively recently, and that's despite living in Angus for 3 years (on the coast admitedly). It's a real showstopper of a place. Glad you enjoyed the photos and thanks for your kind comment.
andreww18
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Posts: 34
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Re: Corrie Fee, Mayar and Driesh

Postby andreww18 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 11:00 pm

dogplodder wrote:I still remember the feeling I had the first time I saw Corrie Fee and how unexpected it was to find a place like that so near to Dundee! 8)


I thought that too, although was surprised when the satnav said it was another 45 mins beyond Kirriemuir.
andreww18
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Posts: 34
Munros:90   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   Donalds:4
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Re: Corrie Fee, Mayar and Driesh

Postby tigerburnie » Fri Sep 15, 2017 11:20 pm

My first Munroe was up through Corrie Fee and then Mayar, I think we came down the same grassy bank too as my companion wanted to avoid the Kilbo path, no idea why.
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Re: Corrie Fee, Mayar and Driesh

Postby andreww18 » Mon Sep 18, 2017 8:49 pm

tigerburnie wrote:My first Munroe was up through Corrie Fee and then Mayar, I think we came down the same grassy bank too as my companion wanted to avoid the Kilbo path, no idea why.


Once we got to the road out and looked back up, we couldn't actually believe we'd descended that way. Ascending that way would be torture.
andreww18
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Posts: 34
Munros:90   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   Donalds:4
Joined: Feb 5, 2017

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